Question about premise...

[treky]

is it biologicly possible for two cousins to be exact twins? I think I read somewhere that it's not.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...was asked to create a series for Patty Duke when ABC bought the "package" United Artists created for her in 1963- according to Sheldon in his autobiography, "The Other Side Of Me", UA sold the network a series starring Patty, with nothing more than her reputation (Academy Award Winner for her role as 'Helen Keller' in "The Miracle Worker") and a title {"THE PATTY DUKE SHOW"}. At first, Sidney was reluctant to write for TV again [he'd written several unsold pilots in previous seasons, including a 1957 effort for Desilu, "ADVENTURES OF A MODEL", starring Joanne Dru; "THE GINGER ROGERS SHOW" (with her playing twin sisters) for 20th Century-Fox in 1961; and "HOWIE", starring Will Hutchins and Paul Lynde (for the same company that produced Patty's series) in 1962- later reworked and sold to ABC as "THE PAUL LYNDE SHOW" in 1972]. But after Patty spent several days with Sheldon and his family, he was charmed by her, and decided he could create a successful series for her.

He initially conceived "Patty" and "Cathy" as twin sisters (as in his unsuccessful Ginger Rogers pilot), but producer William Asher insisted they become "cousins" instead. In fact, Sheldon enjoyed writing the pilot episode so much, he insisted on writing the majority {if not all} of the scripts as part of his contract. He became the series' "head writer", even while writing and producing "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" during Patty's final season.

[treky]

thanx for all that; but that doesn't answer my question.

[TV_on_the_Porch]

Of course cousins aren't going to be *biologically* identical, but it's still not implausible that a pair could look enough alike to pass for twins. But don't take it all so seriously.

[JamesG]

Originally Posted by treky

is it biologicly possible for two cousins to be exact twins? I think I read somewhere that it's not.

The answer is simply no.

[randyrandy]

If Martin and Cathy's mom had gotten together... well, who knows what might have happened.

Just kidding!

[Ronny G]

Originally Posted by treky

is it biologicly possible for two cousins to be exact twins? I think I read somewhere that it's not.

No.
The writers tried to explain it all by making Cathy and Patty's fathers twin brothers as if that would explain how Cathy and Patty became identical twin cousins. Not biologically possible---but plausible in the sitcom world.

Even though the theme song went: "They laugh alike, they walk alike, at times they even talk alike," I thought Patty Duke did a great job of creating two separate individuals with very different personalities, voices and mannerisms. I could tell them apart---unless they were impersonating one another.

[Jude The Obscure]

To me, only if two twin boys married two twin girls, who got pregnant around the same time and both gave birth to the same sex.......they may look similar enough.......LOL